Meet the artist David Lasry

How did you find your voice as an artist?

I have always looked for a way to communicate with others. I have often found that people listen to themselves, or they want to impose their ideas so much that exchanging becomes particularly difficult, even impossible. So I searched for a median allowing this exchange without direct or verbal contact. Painting is naturally the timeless support for this.

In your work you are representing the hidden human soul – how do you do this?

To communicate is to exchange an idea allowing to engage in a constructive and honest debate. My paintings seem to address the viewers. This is not the case, my painting is for their souls.A human being is characterized, amongst other things, by a Spirit that allows me to reflect and allow me to feel. In order to reflect, we need a memory that we make up at our unbeknownst every moment. So I paint this memory from which your soul may may not be touched.

Is there a particular material that you prefer to work with?

At the beginning I painted in oil, but it takes time to dry allowing to the act to be modify. Subsequently I opted for acrylic which dries faster, but it lacked the thickness of time that is our memories. I added to the acrylic and marble powder (see work “S”). But I was looking for an unmodifiable material because we can not choose to erase our memories.

And when did you discover your interest in this particular topic?

It seems to me that the lack of communication,that is, understanding between people has serious consequences around the world. To try to solve this problem seems to me to be indispensable, don’t you think?

Has your approach and process changed throughout your artistic career?

Yes indeed in his way of being expressed, but the idea remains and my artistic line remains in its form as in its substance. With sometimes an absolute necessity of a burst of laugh like a cry of anger (see artwork “A”)

Can you tell us something about your series “Think”?

But especially “Think” is characterized by the work 36. “36” is a depiction and responds to a work today in a private collection in New York. As an artist and more specifically a painter, I paint and that’s what I did to achieve “36”. However, to paint a memory compels me to paint the effect of passing time. So I painted for a long time before scratching, tearing, flaying the paint so that our memories reappear and that forgetting never finds a place.

And about your series “Memories”?

Here we are ! You do not know it but we have just returned to our respective memories. It’s a reality ! And unlike a computer, neither you nor I have an “erase” key.

In a society where being free often means choosing, you come to realize that we do not choose. Our memories often fill up involuntarily and we compose or not with it. But above all, this memory has consequences for our natures and therefore our relationships with others.

“Memories” (acrylic and concrete) is the basis, it is what we rely on to build ourselves. It is this choice of ways (like “Z”)

What have been the highlights of your artistic career?

(Laughter)

Years ago I made an artistic residency in Belgium and I realised with great difficulty a work measuring 2×2 meters. During its realization every night I photographed the result of my work of the day. These photos have made a film, projected next to the table.

The artistic committee asked me to participate in an exhibition and to exhibit “B”.

“ B “, acrylic on canvas, 200 x 200 cm

This large work (which you can see behind me on the picture) is a school board on which it was written and erased many times (like palimpsestes). This school board is like a veil that partially covers a visible memory on the film.

The opening had not started, a man looks at my painting. I introduce myself and offer him an exchange. Silent he looks at me and adds “Do not touch my childhood !! “